Gene
Technology is the most profound development in the global seed
industry. Many forage and turf seed companies have invested in
this new form of breeding but, one by one have withdrawn. The
reason has nothing to do with the technology's ability to
deliver beneficial traits but rather withf consumer resistance
and the resulting government regulation.
If you have been an investor in gene
technology like us, you can safely say that you are ahead of
your time. Do not be dismayed, as many in the gene technology
industry have missed the right time. The right time for the
forage and turf seed industry has not yet arrived. My
congratulations to Scotts for attempting to release the first
GM turf grass.
Winning public acceptance for GM turf
grass is still ahead of us. Valley Seeds was the first company
to develop a truly consumer oriented GM grass. In partnership
with the University of
Melbourne, we created a turf grass with pollen that no
longer causes hay fever or asthma. We have not yet
commercialized our development due solely to the high cost of
regulation. Perhaps Scotts Round-up Ready bentgrass could do
with a consumer friendly allergy free trait?
GM turf grasses will, in time be the
new value offering that will set the industry up for the next
major period of growth.
